On Tue, 7 Aug 2007 18:25:02 +0100, Smutje wrote:
Hi all,
I just found this site

Well actually you are being redirected via gardenbanter to the usenet
newsgroup uk.rec.gardening,

I have got a Bay Tree that is about 5ft tall and now be thinking of
re-planting it in to the front garden. I want it to grow bigger as I
use bay leaves nearly daily and want the tree to mature before I start
taking the leaves off on a regular base.

Gosh! at 5ft I think it is already mature enough for most ( my!)
culinary activities !
Bay thrives on close cropping

Ive not transplanted one that size, smaller ones ( say 2ft
thereabouts) are ok,
Play safe, leave it where it is, crop it, and meanwhile strike some
cuttings, they are dead easy to do and you can thus avoid the silly
prices charged in the GCs.

I have various bay in my garden from 30ft down to 3ft ( I like bay
trees!) I crop the 3ft for the kitchen simply because it is closer to
the kitchen !

[The others are pruned (chainsawed) and thrown into the BBQ fires for
aroma]

Is there any specific time to
do it (i.e. spring rather than autumn)?

The older leaves have more flavour, for drying for storge take them in
the late summer/autumn, but at 5ft I think you will have enough to
pick from the shrub during the winter, it all depends upon how close
cropped ( ie. how dense) it has become.

Also something seems to be eating on it (pictures of the damage can be
found here

ran out of time, (dialup) to see a closeup and got lost in the
blackcurrants !
broadly - snip off the damaged leaves and use on the bbq.
The bay will thank you for it.

And lastly I would like to take a clipping from my Bay Tree and start
growing a new one with it.

Snip off a bits of bay from time to time during the year and push them
into the ground here and there ! Most will take if you have heavy red
clay upon limestone like mine, the books may differ !